2022 Toyota Proace City Icon 1.5L Diesel · EO22 LRK

A four-year-old Proace City Icon showing a recorded 102,208 miles presents an unusual mechanical narrative, as the most recent DVSA entry on 26 February 2026 records a pass with no defects recorded, sitting alongside a same-day failure entry that also lists no defects, a pattern repeated identically from the previous cycle in late February 2025. The absence of any advisories, component wear notes, or corrosion observations across either pass suggests that on the day of examination the vehicle met all structural and safety criteria required for roadworthiness under the MOT inspection regime. However, the dual-entry pattern of a fail immediately followed by a clean pass indicates the car was almost certainly presented with a rectifiable defect that was repaired between the two recorded tests rather than a fundamental mechanical deterioration. For a prospective buyer, the key takeaway is that the record does not disclose what those rectifications involved, meaning any underlying component replacement or repair history must be obtained directly from the seller or service paperwork. The mileage profile is the dominant factor in any realistic mechanical assessment. At 102,208 miles over four years, the vehicle is accumulating roughly 25,500 miles annually, which is more than double the average commercial or private use rate for a van of this type and places significant cumulative demand on consumables and mechanical assemblies. There are no extended gaps in testing history that would indicate prolonged standing, so the wear picture is one of continuous heavy use rather than corrosion from inactivity combined with subsequent component stress. On a high-mileage diesel van of this design, this rate of accumulation typically accelerates wear on clutch friction material, dual-mass flywheel damping, turbocharger bearing integrity, injector balance, EGR valve carbon accumulation, and DPF filtration efficiency. Braking components such as discs, pads, caliper slide pins, and rear brake mechanism hardware are also subject to accelerated wear at this mileage, and suspension components including front wishbones, anti-roll bar linkages, and rear torsion beam bushes will be approaching the upper end of their service life. Given the heavy usage profile, a prospective buyer should carry out a thorough physical and dynamic evaluation with specific attention to areas known to suffer under high-mileage diesel operation. During a cold-start observation, listen for excessive timing chain rattle, turbocharger whistle indicative of bearing wear, and any clutch judder or grab when engaging first gear, as a failing dual-mass flywheel often reveals itself through vibration at low engine speeds. On the road, check for hesitation or misfire under load, smoke from the exhaust (blue suggesting oil consumption through turbo seals, black indicating injector or EGR issues), and any illumination of the DPF or emissions warning lamps. The test drive should include motorway cruising to assess for vibration through the steering or pedals that may indicate propshaft or wheel bearing wear, together with low-speed manoeuvres over uneven surfaces to expose worn suspension linkages or bushes through knocking, clonking, or imprecise steering response. Underneath the vehicle, a lift inspection is strongly recommended to examine the rear torsion beam, front subframe mounting points, and brake pipe runs for any corrosion that may not have been flagged at the previous MOT but could develop rapidly on a high-mileage commercial platform. Inspect the brake discs for lipping and the pads for remaining material, check the turbocharger downpipe and intercooler hoses for oil residue, and verify the condition of the clutch slave cylinder for any seepage. The exhaust system, particularly the DPF housing and rear silager, should be tapped for integrity, and the engine undertray removed to assess the sump, oil filter housing, and injector leak-back pipes for weeps. Finally, request evidence of the most recent cambelt or timing chain service interval (if chain, check for stretch via diagnostic read-out), confirm the timing of the last clutch or flywheel replacement if any has been carried out, and verify that the rectifications made between the failed and passed MOT tests in both 2025 and 2026 are fully documented, as this paperwork is the only reliable evidence that the vehicle's mechanical condition matches its outwardly clean advisory record.